Rediscovering Forever 21

Yesterday we managed to make a trip to the Mall at Millenia with the girls. These trips are never productive - I mean, what can you hope to accomplish with two little people running around. Mostly we let them play and explore, and treated them to some ice cream. While daddy and the girls were all having their ice cream, I snuck off to the nearest store: Forever 21. As a confirmed impulse shopper, I am a sucker for a store with superlow prices on trendy, disposable stuff. Some of their tops and accessories are so spot-on. (Did you know that Diane von Furstenberg sued them for knocking one of her dresses off too well... Of course you can't beat the real thing?) Anyway, I just wandered in, thinking that most of the stuff would be too young and too chintz-y for me, but I was so surprised to find myself in the Twelve by Twelve section (the store is huge!) and I couldn't grab stuff fast enough. It was sort of Anthropologie-meets-Manoush, two of my obsessions, at rock bottom prices. Of course it's not the same quality, but for trendy, temporary wardrobe updates, you can't beat it. And this stuff looks better in real life than it does in these pictures! Of course there are a few misses (studded denim yoke skirt in blue and white, vintage floral pants, plaid ruffle dress), and many others that are inappropriate for anyone who isn't, say, Forever 21. I would have done much more damage (as much as you can do in a place filled with $20 tops) if I had more time, but as it was, I managed to snag four items:

Ruffle Sleeve Belted Sweater, $24: I bought this in two colors (the navy/gray and the khaki/peach), but if I had seen the third one, I would have bought that too! So cute, and the fabric feels quite nice for such a steal.
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Military Tipped Sweater, $32: Crisp and classic, and again, the fabric is surprisingly nice!link

Lace Garden Tunic, $29: SOooo cute.I think I will wear this with my navy BCBG skinny stretch pants to make it a bit more age appropriate. I also think ultrafeminine items like this look cool when worn with something slightly masculine or roughed up, like a broken in pair of jeans. Maybe I will wear this with my "Rachel" jeans from William Rast. link

I also like:
Nylon Shirred Jacket, $39: Lightweight, silky and stylish - great to brighten up a rainy day. link

Ruffle Front Sweater, $32: Preppy, with a girly twist. link

Blossom Sleeve Cardigan, $29: Very reminiscent (right down to the color) of a Catherine Malandrino version that I have that cost more than 10 times as much. link

Chiffon Trim Sweater, $26: I think Coco herself would approve of this steal. link

Mesh Trim Sweater, $32: I can see Helmut Lang or someone similarly edgy designing a similar piece. link

Ruffle Trim Tee, $19: So cute with black leggings. link

Contrast Ribbon Sweater Dress, $29: Love the color combo. link

Chiffon Peplum Sweater Dress, $32: Understated and perfect for work. link

Belted Sweater Dress, $34: Timeless yet very of-the-moment. link

Contrast Peplum Cardigan: So chic. link

My Beetlejuice "Haul" for Lola

A trip to the Neiman Marcus Last Call store at the Miromar outlets in Estero, Florida has become something of an annual pilgrimage for me. Last year, it was here that I first discovered Baby Sara clothes for Lola, Pedro Garcia gold glitter pumps for myself, and a beautiful love seat that now graces our master bedroom. So when I returned this year, expecting to once again stock up on Baby Sara clothes for Lola (don't worry - I'm shopping for next year), I was disappointed to find only a few items in baby sizes. Would I have nothing to buy? The horror! Fortunately, I quickly discovered rack after rack of delightful clothes from Beetlejuice London, a line that I have come across once or twice online, but never really got turned on to before. That has changed, my friends. I don't understand why this line isn't more popular, or easier to find, online, but I am glad I discovered it.
Here is what I bought, and what I paid:

Bohemian Rhapsody long Sleeve novelty dress with layers at hem, $39 (was $86)
Amazon Sun cropped fashion jacket with ruching in olive, $30 (was $66)
Bohemian Rhapsody fashion handkerchief skirt, $29 (was $64)
Bohemian Rhapsody purple velvet fashion pants wiht embroidery, $30 (was $66)
Amazon Sun sleeveless layered print dress with applique and embroidery, $39 (was $86)
Amazon Sun long sleeve beaded tee with print detail, $18 (was $40)
Bohemian Rhapsody green novelty knit top with applique/embroidery, $17 (was $37)
Bohemian Rhapsody long sleeved print fashion shirt with ruffles at placket, $18 ($40)
Amazon Sun fashion tee with ruching at hem, $17 (was $37)
Amazon Sun forest green (more like olive) embroidered fashion pant, $30 (was $66)
Bohemian Rhapsody teiered fashion dress in coral with velvet rose, $38 (was $84)
Amazon Sun coral long sleeve fashion knit dress with ruffles at neck, $38 (was $84)
Bohemian Rhapsody purple print yoke fashion knit long sleeve top, $16 (was $35)

Items from other brands that I picked up included:
Long sleeved knit layered look print dress from Tea, $30 (was $45)
Baby Lulu long sleeved knit dress with embroidered flower at velvet skirt, $34 (was $61)
Baby Lulu cropped cardigan in hot pink with red dots and red velvet bow, $42 (was $58)
Coco Bonbons long sleeved woven menswear style shirt with swirly buttons and pink/brown stripes, $18 (was $26)
Coco Bonbons long sleeved owl print knit tee with striped placket, $18 (was $24)
Coco Bonbons long sleeved woven button-front shirt in brow with white polka dots and various appliques, ribbon trim, etc, $18 (was $26)

That's it! In less than 15 minutes, I got a great head start on Lola's wardrobe for next year. Not that these are the first 4T items I've purchased, but they will make a nice addition to the growing stash buried at the foot of a hall closet.

Brazilian Keratin Treatment: My last word

Since the Brazilian Keratin Straightening Treatment has been the most controversial and commented-on topic on my blog, I thought it deserved a little more attention. The Brazilian Keratin Treatment, or BKT, is one of the hottest hair treatments being performed today, leaving the Japanese Thermal Reconditioning Treatment of a few years ago behind. And it does have its advantages. It's milder than most straighteners, using Keratin, a protein that naturally straightens the hair and is one of the components of human hair, to straighten. And it works best on colored or chemically treated hair, something most straighteners cannot claim to be true. Like the Japanese straightening treatment, it's time consuming and expensive. My hair is very thick, very curly and quite long (it was halfway down my back when I had the treatment), and it took nearly 5 hours and $500. Was it worth it? Not for me. But I do seem to be the exception. I have to say I noticed almost NO DIFFERENCE in my hair. It may have been a little softer, but I could have received the same results from a home conditioning treatment. And the minor improvement in texture only lasted a couple of days. It did not straighten my hair or even relax my curl. To be honest, I was not told that it would straighten my hair by my stylist - simply that it would make the curls a little looser, eliminate frizz and minimize the need for hair products. Unfortunately none of this happened for my hair. I have often toyed with the idea of the thermal reconditioning, as many of my friends have done it and had great success with it, but I am not ready to go poker straight yet, so I thought this would be a good compromise. For me, it was a waste of time and money. That said - maybe I just wasn't the ideal candidate for it, although the pictures on the various websites show women with curlier hair than I have. Maybe the pictures show their hair after a blowout, and I do not blow my hair out on a regular basis. Living in Central Florida, the humidity makes this futile.

Anyway, the final word, in my opinion: Get a good consultation beforehand, and ask lots of questions about the kinds of results you should expect before investing in the procedure. And if it works for you, I'd love to know!

My Recent Sephora Trip

Every year, we take a trip to Illinois in the summer, when it is sane to do so, so that the girls can hang out with their Illinois cousins, aunts and grandparents, and every year, we make a point of going into Chicago. This year we spent an entire weekend there, without the girls, who stayed with my husband's wonderful parents. And every year I go to Sephora and spend at least a solid hour there - more if I have it - updating my makeup bag with new finds and old favorites. Here's what I picked up this year:

Stila Illuminating Powder Foundation in 60 Watts, and compact
Stila blush in rose
Stila lipstick in Sonya
Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer in Dark
Laura Mercier Baby Lips
Laura Mercier Nude Lips
Bare Escentuals Buxom Beauty Mascara
Sephora Brand Manicure Kit
Tweezerman Pink Deluxe Nail Clipper

So fun! I'm still testing a couple of the new products, so look for reviews in upcoming blogs!

Current Obsessions

My sister and I are always on a shopping kick. The only thing that changes is what we are shopping for. These are my current obsessions:

Fable Lore: Chic, comfy, innovative clothing for kids with details that change color in the sun. Lola has a dress and leggings with lace trim that goes from white to pink when exposed to UV light.

Undrest Lingerie: Cotton, comfy and still sexy-cute, I have stocked up one their chemises, sleepshirts, and even a long hooded nightgown that is chic and not at all frumpy. Girly details turn casual cotton into something much more fun.

Kids shoes from Petit, Pomme d'Api and Moki: I'm a little obsessed with European shoes for my girls. Goegeous details, colorful designs and amazing quality.

The Best Bra Fitting Ever

On Saturday, while Kevin and I spent a romantic weekend away from the girls in Chicago (they stayed with Grandma and Grandpa in the suburbs), I went to a store called Intimacy on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Intimacy is a lingerie store specializing in bra fittings. They actually label themselves Bra Fit Stylists. The Chicago location is one of eight nationwide, and if there's one near you - get there as quickly as possible. I highly recommend it. But be prepared. They call their bra fitting technique holistic. No tape measures, no formulas. They use their hands. But in two seconds, Veronica Lopez sized me up and concluded that I was a 30-32 C. At first, I was skeptical. I used to be a 32 C, but I didn't believe I could still fill a C cup. After nursing two girls, my breasts are, to put it mildly, deflated. And I consider it a tragedy. I am really bummed about it. And then Veronica returned to the dressing room with more than a dozen gorgeous bras, from beautiful basics to sexy lace bras, from brands like Chantelle, Simone Perele, Marie Jo, and Aventure by Marie Jo. Here's what I learned:

1. When you put on your bra, you should bend over at the waist so that your breasts fall into the cups and then fasten the clasp. Reach into the bra to lift your breasts into position, but do not use the lace to handle the bra. Use the wire part.
2. Do not use harsh synthetic detergents on your bras. Use a baby detergent, an organic detergent, or a specialty lingerie detergent. Bras can be washed in the washing machine as long as they are in a mesh lingerie bag. Fasten clasps before washing. Always air dry - don't throw your bras in the washing machine.
3. Rotate your bras. Allow at least one day of rest before rewearing to get maximum life out of your bra.
4. When storing bras, lay them flat, with the cups up. Do not put one cup into the other. This can cause little bumps or ridges in the cup. If you do get some bumps in the cup of your molded bra, try steaming it to remove them.
5. Bras can be altered, just like any other piece of clothing. For example, on me, the Chantelle Bra in 32C had a band that was just a little too long and needed to be taken in to fit properly.

I walked out with 4 bras:
The Le Mystere Francesca all over lace bra in Nude $75 link

Marie Jo L'Aventure "Neal" bra in Peach Melba (with tiny white polka dots), $109

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Chantelle Africa strapless bra in Nude link

Marie Jo L'Aventure Tom multiway bra in Cafe Latte (Nude) - can be worn as a halter bra as well, $100 link

AHA's vs Anti-Aging Products

This blog is for Anonymous, who asked me the difference between an AHA and an Anti-Aging Product. AHA's are essentially exfoliators. Depending on their strength (percentage of AHA in the product) they can exfoliate your skin either gradually or quickly. AHAs help the texture, tone and clarity of your skin by helping it to function more normally. When you shed dead skin cells, you reveal fresher, younger skin beneath, and that skin functions more optimally, like it did when you were younger.

Anti-Aging Products is a very broad, loosely defined category that can include, but is not limited to, AHAs, Vitamin C and other antioxidant creams, serums, retinol and retinoid products, moisturizers, etc. Basically, any product designed to make you look more youthful. This is not a category I created - it's a device of the beauty industry, and I chose the Anti-Aging Products that I reviewed based on the claims that the products made. In other words, they claimed to be anti-agers, so I reviewed them based on those claims.

Any product that can make your skin look fresher, better and more youthful qualifies as an antiager.